Rabbi Pleads Guilty to Videotaping Women Before Bath

The rabbi and former Towson University professor accused of videotaping nude women before a Jewish ritual to his crimes on Thursday.

According to the Washington Post, Rabbi Barry Freundel pleaded guilty to secretly recording dozens of women in a locker room as they changed for a ritual bath. Known as a mikvah, the bath is used by women as part of a “purification ritual” after their menstrual cycle. It’s also used as part of Jewish conversion rites.

Freundel’s camera was allegedly hidden in a clock radio in the room at Kesher Israel Congregation in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. He was accused of taping 52 women over the three years within the statute of limitations. Information emerged last week that 152 women may have been videotaped in all.

In addition to his leadership role at the synagogue, Freundel was a professor at Towson University. He was relieved of those duties following his arrest.